Gao Zhan, a former research at American University was arrested in China for alleged spying for Taiwan. She was later released and returned to the States. Her arrest was reported in February and July 2001.
Gao, 43, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Alexandria, Virginia November 26 for exporting technology to Beijing. She admitted that she made more than $539,000 for selling 80 micro processors to a procurement agency of the Chinese government. Jerry Markson and Spencer S. Hsu reported in The New York Times (Nov. 27, 2003), Federal officials had evidence that Gao was selling additional electronic equipment to China and they had prepared more serious charges against her. Gao was running an export business and sent electronic equipment to the Nanjing Research Institute of Electronic Technology which developed radar systems for the Chinese military. She is scheduled to be sentenced March 5.